Chapter 19

Notes:

Warning! From this chapter and so on, there will be scenes that contain violence. I do not explain anything in gory detail, but if you are uncomfortable with heavy angst, injuries, or violence, please handle the next chapters with caution. I strongly suggest not reading the next chapters if you want to avoid that type of content altogether.

Shortly after Jisung had left to go fetch the two witches, Changbin was walking back to his cottage, heading for the backdoor. He had just gotten back from visiting one of his friends, asking to borrow a strainer from them. He remembered how Felix commented on how small Changbin’s kitchen strainer was, so he went to get a bigger one.

He had no idea why he went through so much trouble just to accommodate for the younger. He would have never planned in the first place on letting Felix and Jisung stay, thinking he would have kicked them out after one day. But while he would have never admitted it out loud, he enjoyed the company, especially Felix’s. Despite having opposite sleeping patterns from him and Minho, they’d left quite an impact on them. They’d brightened up the place with their refreshing personalities and weird antics, and Changbin was wondering just how long they’d stick around. It’s not like he was bothered before by only having Minho as company, he just appreciated having some other people in his life, despite putting up his usual dark facade and pretending he was bothered by them sometimes. And besides, he knew that if he kicked out Felix and Jisung, he would never hear the end of it from Minho, especially because the nocturnal witch loved how well he’s been eating the past few days.

Changbin opened the backdoor and entered the cottage, heading straight for the kitchen and placing the strainer on the counter. He peeked his head over to the living room, smiling at the sight of Felix sound asleep, snuggling into his pillow. The lunar witch found it strange that he didn’t see Jisung on the other couch, but he shrugged it off. He felt bad that the two had to deal with such a sleeping arrangement, but Changbin and Minho occupied the only bedrooms in the house. And while the lunar witch trusted Felix and Jisung, he didn’t fancy the idea of them sleeping in him and Minho’s bedrooms. Changbin had a lot of things in his room that he didn’t want anyone to touch, and knowing Felix, the younger would definitely be bound to mess with things.

Changbin walked away and headed up the stairs, planning on studying a bit and then eating his last meal before going to bed.

Felix jolted awake when he heard something smash through the window. He looked up in the direction, seeing the shattered hole it left in the glass.

“What the hell was that?” He mumbled to himself.

Before he could get up to go investigate, he felt a blast, his eyes shutting close at the sting his body felt. A loud, sharp sound shot through his ears and as much as he wanted to let out a scream, he physically couldn’t. While he wasn’t able to see what happened, the last thing he felt was his head hitting something before falling unconscious.

Minho ran to the direction where the ground shook with more force. He heard screams and cries in the distance while he picked up his feet, running at an inhumane speed. A strong smell of smoke filled his nostrils and his throat tightened a bit, feeling discomfort while breathing it in. He slowed down a bit while looking at the trees up ahead being swallowed by flames. This was bad, really bad.

Minho decided to change directions, knowing that the forest was now in grave danger. He instead headed for the heart, knowing that he’d have to protect the most vulnerable part of the land. If anything were to come and destroy that area, the rest of the forest would surely die along with it.

While running, Jisung could see the sky lightening up into a mix of pinks, purples and oranges. Dawn had pretty much arrived. He swallowed, hoping that the two witches were still out there. If he couldn’t catch them soon he would have to run back to the cottage and pray they’d be there. He ran through the dark trees and other plants before spotting a well lit up area. It led to a clearing in the middle of the woods. Jisung stopped in his tracks with what he saw.

In one area, the trees were on fire, burning down to nothing but ashy skeletons of themselves. There were soldiers everywhere shooting at mythical creatures trying to fight them off. It was chaos. In the midst of all of the action, there was a bright light shining like a rotating spotlight on a stage, blinding anyone that would look in that direction. But for Jisung, he could see just fine, looking past the light and noticing a huge drill planted on the ground, the contraption facing down towards the Earth.

Jisung ran into the battle, mana flaring up at his fingertips. He jumped into the air and threw his arms down, light dispersing in all different directions and blinding some of the soldiers. He landed on the ground with a thud and snapped his head up, throwing a punch at one of the soldiers that came near him. The guy stumbled back and Jisung took the opportunity to slice a beam of light in his direction, burning his torso and making him fall to the ground. In the corner of his eye he spotted another soldier while swiftly moving out of the way, a bullet flying right next to him. Jisung gritted his teeth and flicked his hand, a bright burst of energy shooting through the air and hitting him in the chest.

The diurnal witch caught his breath and looked around at the absolute bloodbath that was happening before his eyes. Wherever these soldiers were coming from, this attack had to be from the works of humans.

Minho hesitated at nothing when he entered the clearing, his body ready to charge in and protect the forest at all costs. He no longer restricted himself, letting his dark energy consume him. The air around him filled with black clouds while he balled up his fists. He sprinted, letting his darkness spread out in front of him, attacking some of the human soldiers. Their skin started to turn pale as they dropped their guns and put their hands to their necks, wheezing and gasping for air. Minho glared while running past them, going to attack a few more soldiers when a blinding light stung his eyes, burning his corneas. He stumbled a bit and felt the force of a bullet whooshing by him, barely missing his arm. He snapped his head in the direction of the attack and sent a dark cloud their way, instantly cutting off the soldier’s breathing. Minho desperately wanted to go to the middle of the clearing and protect the patch of soil that was the most vital part of the forest, but he couldn’t even look in the direction of it without getting blinded. Just what was causing such a bright light to prevent Minho from going there?

His attention was then caught by something else, or rather, someone else. There was Jisung, fighting off soldiers with his light powers. Minho’s eyes were still sensitive to his light, but the diurnal witch wasn’t using as much brightness as he could have so Minho wasn’t blinded right away. Not to mention that Jisung wasn’t pointing the light in his direction either.

He ran over to the diurnal witch, helping him but most importantly, protecting him.

“Minho! There you are! Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?” Jisung gasped when he saw him.

“Why were you even looking for me?” Minho asked, swiping his arm at a few soldiers’ direction to send his darkness their way.

“Long story short, this forest is in danger and you and Changbin need to leave!”

“Uh yeah, I figured that first part out,” Minho said dryly. “And why do me and Changbin have to leave? I need to stay here and protect this forest.”

“Well you’re not safe here!”

“Oh I’m not safe? You’re not safe being here. I’ll fight them off, you should get out of here while you still can.”

“I’m not leaving!” Jisung yelled stubbornly.

The diurnal witch blinded another soldier and kicked them in the stomach before looking towards the center of the clearing.

“Cover me,” He said.

“I’m sorry what?!” Minho shouted.

“Just do it!”

Jisung ran to where the light beams in the middle of the land were coming from and Minho had no choice but to keep fighting off the soldiers that came for him or the diurnal witch. Minho watched as Jisung ran into the light, and he couldn’t see much from there. Once Jisung got closer to the drill, he spotted someone next to it. The person had short red hair, and he was wearing a white drama mask that covered his whole face. Jisung ran at them but the other was quick, spotting the attack and shining his light in Jisung’s face. But little did they know, that wouldn’t affect him, so Jisung took the opportunity to launch himself into the air and come down at them, pushing the other to the ground. The masked person threw Jisung off of them and the two stood up facing each other. Jisung had to guess they were also a diurnal witch but this confused him. Why on earth would a witch be fighting him and working alongside humans?

The ash blonde dodged a beam of light that shot up from the other fingertips. He countered it with his own attack and stretched out his hand to shoot out his own light. The two energies battled each other, the midpoint of where their attacks met shifting from side to side, seeing which person’s powers were the strongest. It wasn’t until the ground beneath their feet started to violently shake did Jisung lose his focus, stumbling back when the masked person’s light hit his body. The drill was finally digging into the ground, throwing dirt up into the air and making its way deeper and deeper into the soil. Jisung straightened up and clutched his stomach, moving his other hand to point at the red-head and shoot at them. But the other was too quick, dodging his attack and shooting Jisung again but this time near the face. He closed his eyes, bracing for impact but it never came. Instead, he was pushed to the ground and felt a weight land right next to him. He opened his eyes to see Minho laying beside him on the ground, face twisted in pain. He snapped up at the masked person standing in front of them, the red-head starting to lift their hands emitting a bright energy around them. Jisung quickly threw his arm up and conjured a wall of light, making the others' huge attack absorb into the block and then shoot it right back, hitting them instead. The diurnal witch lying by Minho looked at him, trying to reach out and check if he was okay. But the nocturnal witch shifted away, assuring him in a shaky breath that he was fine.

They both got up and looked to the masked person that was holding their shoulder, probably where their own attack had hit them. Their head looked up at the two before turning away and running the opposite direction. Jisung was about to go after them when he felt Minho leave his side and go to where the hole in the ground was. The drill was already so deep into the Earth that Minho knew this was beyond his abilities. The heart of the forest, it was completely destroyed. He knew from what the locals had told him that under the patch of soil previously there, a seed was positioned underneath it, its roots connecting to almost every part of the forest. That seed gave energy and nutrients to all parts of the land, and with something as strong as a huge drill, it was most likely destroyed. Minho cursed while looking down at the dark opening in the ground.

The soldiers who were still alive retreated, but not before throwing bombs and grenades in different directions that blew up some of the trees, the other ones surrounding it catching on fire. Some of the other creatures chased after the soldiers, some stayed standing there in shock of what just happened, and the rest laid on the ground, greatly wounded or dead.

Through his connection with the forest, Minho could feel it dying. He got to his knees and desperately put his hands on the ground, trying to put in whatever energy he could into it. But the ground didn’t take it. Instead, his darkness just spread out on the Earth’s surface, no longer being able to sink through. Minho brought his hands up and stared at them in horror, the dark mana just getting stronger and bigger, no longer having a place to go. His anxiety spiked. He turned to Jisung who was starting to approach him. The nocturnal witch got on his feet, the darkness of his hand spreading to the rest of his body. His voice got caught in his throat, adrenaline coursing through his blood.

“Minho, Minho, look at me,” Jisung said when he saw the other was panicking.

“No... no stay away,” Minho choked out, backing away as a dark cloud now formed around him.

“Look, I know you’re scared but I need for you to calm down. Your powers will only get more out of control if you let your emotions get the best of you,” Jisung coaxed, stepping closer to Minho.

The nocturnal witch body shook with fear. “D-dont. Don’t come closer.”

He swallowed a cry threatening to come out and spun around, running away and heading in the direction of some trees that hadn’t caught fire yet. He felt like a monster. It was only a matter of time before he fully lost control of his powers and hurt someone. And the last person he ever wanted to hurt was Jisung.

Changbin pushed some debris off of him while coughing at the smoke that hung in the air. A few moments ago, he was writing something down in his notebook when he heard something shatter from downstairs. Before he could get up to see what happened, the cottage exploded, pieces of it flying everywhere and flames erupting all around. The lunar witch painfully pulled himself up onto his feet, his eyes widening at the complete destruction of the building. Then the thought of someone suddenly shot through his head. Felix.

Changbin frantically ran around, calling the kitchen witches name while looking for him and moving pieces of debris out of the way. His eyes started to water but he pushed down the fear rising up in his body, trying his best to focus on finding the other. It wasn’t until he moved a piece of the wall from the ground did he see him. The sight horrified Changbin. Felix was nearly completely covered in ashes and his clothes were torn. Cuts and bruises littered his skin, but nothing was more terrifying than the huge burn on the right side of Felix’s body, placed all the way from the lower half of his face to his leg. The lunar witch soon got over his shock and got down to where he was laying, gently picking him up and desperately trying to fight his tears. He heard screams and yelling in the distance, and the crackling noise of the close fire next to him made the back of his neck sweat. He found an opening in the flames and ran out, trying to find a safe place to seek refuge. Most of the trees surrounding them were on fire, so he tried going in any direction where they would be safe. He spotted a small cave, one he’d gone with Minho in many times before. He ran inside, the interior being lit up with a purple glow coming from the crystal that was further inside it. He set Felix softly on the ground. The boy’s blood stained Changbin’s clothes but he didn’t even notice in his panic. He quickly got to work on assessing the damage. He took his shirt off and dried off any more blood he could with. Then using his hand, he scooped up some of the cave water and put it on Felix’s burn. He knew it wasn’t the safest water he could have used, but what other choice did he have? Felix started to stir awake, hissing in pain and his eyes fluttering open.

“Stay still Felix, don’t move,” Changbin said.

The other complied, looking at the other with strained eyes while he tried treating Felix’s burn. The lunar witch was pretty beat up himself, cuts and gashes across his skin, but yet he paid no attention to his own injuries.

“What happened?” Felix croaked.

“I don’t know. But the house blew up and the forest is on fire,” Changbin said.

“What? Where are Jisung and Minho?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t see either of them earlier.”

Silence fell over them as Changbin did as much as he could. He’d definitely have to get Felix treated properly before things got infected, but he didn’t have the slightest idea of where he'd turn to.

“Thank you,” Felix said suddenly.

Changbin blinked his eyes a few times, making sure he heard him right. “What?”

“Thank you, for saving me,” Felix grinned slightly.

“Of course I’d save you. There’s no way I could have left you back there,” He grumbled.

Felix chuckled to himself, reaching up and moving a strand of hair away from the witch’s face, now seeing him clearly. His teeth grinded together from the burning sensation of his right side, but he tried to focus on nothing but Changbin, biting back the pain as tears fell from Felix’s eyes.

“Minho!” Jisung shouted after him.

The nocturnal witch kept running without looking back, passing the yellow and orange flames burning down the forest. He was going to run near the outskirts of the forest but he tripped over rock, falling forward while his hands instinctively reached out to land on the ground first. He turned his head back and saw Jisung coming in closer. He tried to get up but the younger pointed a finger in his direction and shot out a stream of light in his direction, straining his eyes.

“Agh,” Minho yelped on the floor while blinking his eyes.

“Sorry, I just need you to stop and listen for a second. I promise everything will be okay,” Jisung pleaded.

“Okay? You’re in danger Jisung! Get away from me!” Minho yelled.

Jisung pressed his lips into a thin line, looking at the witch with an unusual serious expression. “Minho, you have to listen to me.”

“No! Stay away!”

“Minho!”

“I can’t,” The nocturnal witch choked, exhaustion taking a toll on him. He got to his knees, tears threatening to slip out. “I can’t,” He repeated.

“You can’t what?” Jisung asked, softening his tone.

“I can’t hurt you. I... I don’t want to.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Jisung said while stepping towards the boy, “Don’t worry about me. I just need you to breathe.”

Minho’s pants staggered as the diurnal witch was no more than a foot away from him. He looked Jisung in the eyes. The younger’s was sympathetic and kind, contrasting Minho's tired and fearful eyes.

“Don’t come near me,” Minho quietly begged, his voice getting stuck in his throat while his tears finally dropped.

Jisung squatted down to his level. The black smoke around him hit Jisung, and it became more difficult to breathe. But the witch didn’t focus on that at the moment. He reached out to Minho, gently putting up a hand to the other’s dark brown locks and stroking his head.

“Stop,” Minho’s voice quavered, “Stop it, stop touching me.”

Jisung wrapped an arm around Minho and pulled him in, embracing him in a hug. The nocturnal witch choked up, feeling the darkness consume them both as his heart rate quickened.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Minho exclaimed.

Jisung just let out a few coughs while holding on to the other, not caring that he could barely breathe at that point.

“GET OFF OF ME!” Minho cried, thrashing against the other’s hold, trying to pull the witch off of him.

Jisung curled his fingers against Minho’s back, his knuckles turning white. He couldn’t help but let out a weak laugh while his body shook. His lips curled into a smile and he shut his eyes tight. He thought about all he had been through on his journey. The positive mindset he had while stepping into the danger realm, the moment where he met the nocturnal witch for the first time and blinded him with his wide beaming smile, or when he and Minho went out to the forest the other day and he got to meet Minho’s cat spirits. Those memories kept Jisung smiling, even when his throat stung and his lungs burned, longing for air. He tightened his grip around the Minho and looked down at his own hands. Jisung’s fingertips were turning black, the color rising up into his veins, clashing with the pale skin surrounding it.

“JISUNG I’M HURTING YOU!” Minho sobbed, trying to grab at him but his weak arms just fell limp to the side.

“Minho... it’s all going to be okay,” Jisung gasped.

Minho buried his face in Jisung’s shoulder, crying into his shirt. He mumbled a mix of incoherent worries as he felt Jisung just slowly rub his back, soothing him. This diurnal witch that was the literal embodiment of his opposite was here hugging Minho, fighting to hold him and calm him down. The nocturnal witch’s body shuddered as he felt the ‘fight or flight’ instinct inside of him start to go away. Minho bit his lip and pressed his forehead into Jisung’s chest, feeling the tears stream all the way down from his cheeks to his collarbone.

The pain in Jisung’s body slowly started to alleviate. He swallowed a big breath of air and sighed. The black cloud around them was starting to get smaller, and the black lines branching around Jisung’s forearms were going back down and leaving his veins their normal color. He was starting to get his normal vibrant glow back. The two witches’ auras intermingled with each other, their energies balancing out while they touched. When Jisung could finally breathe normally, he put a hand up to Minho’s head and combed his fingers through his hair. The nocturnal witch’s eyes slowly started to shut, his body calming down at the others touch and exhaustion finally getting the best of him. He fell asleep in Jisung’s arms, leaning against his head against the other.

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